Quake hits Cebu, Bohol anew

| Monday, December 30th, 2013

By: Claiza Suarez-Tan
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Magnitude 4.3 earthquake is 4,465th aftershock of

October 15 temblor
Residents in Cebu and Bohol were jolted anew by a 4.3
magnitude earthquake that was felt at 4:21 p.m. yesterday,
Dec. 29.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (Phivolcs) in Lapu-Lapu City said the tremor was
traced to be in Buenavista town area or 59 kilometers
northeast of Tagbilaran City.
The earthquake was felt at Intensity 4 in Mandaue
City and felt at intensity 2 in the cities of Cebu and Lapu-Lapu,
seismic observer Robinson Jorgio said.
Phivolcs said that yesterdays earthquake was an aftershock of
the powerful temblor that jolted Bohol and Cebu provinces two
months ago.
The agency said that the aftershock was the 4,465th it
recorded from the October 15 magnitude 7.2 earthquake,
which relesed energy equivalent to 32 Hiroshima bombs.
Phivolcs research specialist Henry Penarubia said that of the
4,465 aftershocks, 122 were felt, adding that it was normal for
a major powerful earthquake to generate aftershocks long after
it happened.
Penarubia said that yesterdays earthquake had a
depth of seven kilometers.
Jorgio, for his part, said he was waiting for the feedbacks from
Bohol and other areas to determine the intensities of the
tremor in their areas.
There was no report of injury or damage, though
people who were staying in high buildings felt the tremor.
Jorgio said the quake was still part of the series of aftershocks
after the magnitude 7.2 quake hit Bohol and Cebu last
October.
In fact, yesterday, two slightly-felt tremors were also
recorded in the Bohol area.
Jorgio said a magnitude 2.3 quake was felt at intensity one in
the Bohol towns of Maribojoc and Antequera at 5:15 a.m.
yesterday, followed by another magnitude 2.8 quake that was
felt at intensity 1 again in the same towns.
Intensity, Magnitude
Based on the Phivolcs Earthquake Intensity Scale
(PEIS), an intensity IV is moderately strong and may be felt by
some people indoors and outdoors. The vibration felt is similar
to that of a passing heavy truck and hanging objects swing
considerably. Dinner, plates, glasses, windows and doors rattle
while floors and walls of wood framed buildings creak.
Standing motor cars may rock slightly while liquids in
containers are slightly disturbed. A rumbling sound may
sometimes be heard.
A magnitude is the measurement of the energy
released at the source of the earthquake while intensity
quantifies the strength of shaking produced by the tremor.